Toy helicopter



June 28, 1960 Filed Dec. 15, 1955 J. O. BENNETT TOY HELICOPTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Jim/r OLE/V BEA/N571 ATTORNEYS June 28, 1960 J. o. BDENNETT TOY HELICOPTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 15, 1955 I I 'lIIlIIIIIIIIlIIIIII/II/IIll INVENTOR Jvcw OL'A/BGWNETY ATTORNEYS United States Patent TOY HELICOPTER Jack 0. Bennett, Luisenstr. 126, Bad Hombur g,

vor der Hohe, Germany Filed Dec. 15, 1955, Ser. No. 553,359

Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 29, 1954 Claims. (Cl. 272-31) This invention relates to aeronautical toys, and particularly to a toy helicopter.

- The main object of my invention is to produce a powered toy helicopter in combination with control means therefor.

An ancillary object of my invention is to provide a toy helicopter with controlled electric drive in order to cause ascent or descent of the helicopter at will by controlling current supply to the drive means thereof.

Another object of the invention is to include a jointed support for retaining the helicopter captive while allowing the sameto rise and lower and also fly about the support.

Afurther object of this invention is to have a support upon which a balancing arm is pivotally and rockably mounted with the helicopter supported upon one end of the arm and a counterbalance mounted upon the other end.

. Still another object is to have such a helicopter toy which is made in two main units, one of which includes a supporting tower for universally supporting the balancing arm with the helicopter thereon, while the other unit includes a control device for effecting dual control of the helicopter, and with these units connected by cables.

It is more specifically an object of the invention with respect to the control unit, to have two distinct control members for regulating the current supply to the helicopter and for mechanically controlling its position.

"It is even an object of the invention to provide the balancing arm with an intermediate support upon the supporting tower which may take various forms for allowing two degrees of motion to the arm and thus to the helicopter.

A practical object herein is also to have a toy heli-' copter assembly which has the control unit so designed and disposed that it will simulate the controls upon a full scale helicopter and bring the whole'into the range Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in greater detail as the specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for a proper appreciation of the salient features thereof, the invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which:

V Figure 1 is an elevation of a helicopter toy made according to my invention and embodying the same in a practical form;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a modified form of a vertical section of the supporting tower;

2,942,880 Patented June 28, 1960= ICC Figure 3 is a vertical section of the control box of the invention serving to disclose interior details not shownin Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section similar to that of Figure 2, but showing a modification of the tower mounting for the balancing arm supporting the helicopter proper;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the con-- nection between a cable and the lower end of the control stick of Figures '1 and 3. on an enlarged scale.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same or like parts and features.

In the toy field, airplanes and helicopters are of current interest, and while airplanes are well represented, helicopters are not'so well known, principally because they have heretofore not been highly developed. The reason for this is that helicopters are themselves more recent in development than the standard airplane. In order to provide a novel toy helicopter that will simulate in control and feel, as well as operation, a modern helicopter, I now propose tosupport a small model helicopter upon a balancing arm having an adjustable counterbalance, and controlling the model electrically and mechanically in position from a remote control box through a cable and conductors interconnecting the helicopter and control box, along the lines already indicated,'which will now be described in detail in the following, due reference being had to the drawings. 7 Hence, in the practice of my invention, a supportin tower or stand 1 has in its upper portion a ball bearing structure 1A upon which is mounted a guide ring 2 through which extends a balancing arm 3, preferably of reinforced or double construction. This arm is .itself mounted within the ring 2 upon a short arm 4 pivoting upon pin 5 supported in lug 5A secured in the ring, while the outer extension 6 of arm 4 is slidable in a vertical plane in slot 7 in ring 2 during angular or semi-rotary movement of the balancing arm 3.

In the tower 1, a preferably insulated Bowden cable 8 extends upwardly into ring 2 and is knotted about arm extension 6 and continued in a loop 6A that extends through arm 3 to the helicopter 16 secured upon the outer end of this This cable is interrupted by an inserted coupling 9 allowing rotation of the ring 2 and arm' 3 about the vertical axis of ball beating structure 1A without twisting the cable which extends down through a protecting sheath 3A together with a conductor 18, of

which more later. It is evident that if the cable 8 is released upward, arm extension 6 will raise as a result of torque on arm 3 as a result of weight 12, and if the cable is subjected to a downward pull it will lower extension 6, correspondingly partially rotating or angularly shifting balancingarm 3 with the helicopter thereon. The weight 12 thus acts not only, as a counterweight for the helicopter, but by virtue'of its positioning on offset arm 11 to extend laterally to the left of pin 5 as seen in Fig.2, weight 12 acts also as a counterweight producing the above-mentioned torque on arm 3.

The blade rotor 9A is driven by a motor 10A within the fuselage of the helicopter ltland is capable of raising or lowering it by respectively rapid or slow rotation, while balancing arm 3 balances on short arm 4 and extension 6. The other end 11 of arm 3 is bent downward and provided with a tight frictionally retained, cheaply produced, coil of heavy metal wire 12 which may be twisted on or off sufiiciently to accurately counterbalance the helicopter 10.

, Thus far, the active operating unit which includes the helicopter and its support means has been outlined, this unit being connected to the control unit about :to be described, by the Bowden cable 8 and conductor 18 within sheath 3A. This control unit, generally indicated at 2A primarily includes a control box 13 (Figures 1 and 3) knock-down 'forin,

copter instrument panel, through which extend a control stick 14 resembling a control stick upon an aircraft, and

'1'-.p.m."of motor'from'which another conductor 25 ex tends down-tocontinue externally as 18 with cable 8 in sheath -3A as already 'mentioned. The battery source 15 is grounded atone pole, while the other has conductor 26 connected to the throttle arm 17, and a further conductor 27 extends down from unit 16 to'the control stick 14', the B owden cable 8 serving as a return conductorinasmuch as the battery is grounded. In this connection it should be stated that upon the hehcopter,

one conductor 28 to the motor 19A. is grounded and the other'is conductor 1% extending to this motor to provide the driving current .as controlled by "throttle arm 17.

In any event, the control .stick has the .Bowden cable 8 connected to lthe lower end thereof, the stick being pivoted :in .box 13 on .a .pin .oribolt 29andextending upward through top 13A byway of a slot '39. Asshown in detail inFigure 5,=the stick 14 is hollow :at its lower end 31and has a pair of bottom slots 32 '(oneshown) with anenlargement63 at theupper .closed end for receiving and retaining the Bowdencabletherein, as this ,cable'is undcrtension, either by spring action or by the weight of coimterbalance. 12 on arms. The .cable has a stop 34 adapted to seat in the enlargements in the slots, so that a quickconnection between cable,1controllstick.and arm Sisstable. While the throttle arm v17 controls speed of rotation .of motor- 16A, the control -stick mechanically provides for angular rotation of arm 3.:

Ifhecontrol unitZAisthuS a dual controlunitvand the helicopteroperating unit controlled thereby is capable of variable'motor operation and rotation of balancing arm 3 or angular adjustment thereof with the helicopter body 1Qsupported thereby. r

The rotation of balancing arm 3. is fefiected bypable 18 upon the upper end or top ofsupportingtower 1 in obedience to shifting of control stick 14, and in the form "just described by rocking of the arm 3 on pin or shaft 5, butas shown in Figure.4,iother means srrmounting the tower w ll also serve; ,For example, in Figure 4, the

' tower has a metalbowl 22 supportinga ball 19 provided .Witha groove 21 in which the cable lies and terminates l!1..a top knot 20, balancing arm 3 being fitted in this ibalL-so as 'to'turn therewith if a pull isexertedupon cable fications and variations are possible and form part of my invention which includesall such'variations within its purview and useful scope. l

I "Naturally, various materials such as wood, plastic and light metals and alloys may be usedfor'the construction oftheparts of the helicopter and its supporting structure,'-and in anyevent, the controlbox 13 is preferably made so strong and durable that it will serve well as the packing container for the entire apparatus' hen sold in ready to be assembled .by the purchaser. V

The B owdencable opposing weight or lspring'idea is ideal in that itserves to bind the control box to theftower under constant tension, avoiding their vibrating or dance ng: apart. The flexibility or the arrangement allows the bw p bep a a mo t anywhereandremotely, respec r $91 one havinga sloping top 13A printed to represent a heli- The control box is open upon one'side as shown "in Fig. 3 to permit the insertion of the operators feet to give the impression of being in the machine. The weight of the feet stabilizes the box.

Having now fully described my invention, 1 claim:

I 1. A toy helicopter of the character described, including a supporting tower provided upon the" top thereof with a pivot mounting with two degrees of freedom, an elongated balancing arm having th'efintermediate portion thereof supported upon thepivot mounting, a helicopter proper secured uponione' end of the balancing arm and a counterweight upon theother end, a blade rotor mounted upon the helicopter with means'fordrivingdhe rotor, manually operated means for remotely causing angular movement of the balancing arm with respectto its axis to tilt the helicopter, said other end' of the balancing arm carrying the counterweight being bent laterally toward the pivot mounting to produce a torque on the balancing arm in opposition to said last mentioned means and manually controlled means for controlling the 'drive'of therotor, said manually operated means including aflexibleconfiection tothe tower for enabling the manually operated means to be variably positioned relative to the tower. 3

' 2. A toyhelicopter according to claim 1, wherein the means for driving the rotor is an electric motor'and the manually controlled means includes a variable-resistance and asourceof current.

1.3. A toyhelicopter according to claim 2, wherein the manually operated means for causing angular movement of the balancing armincludes a' controlbox having a pivoted control stick, a Bowden cable interconnecting the end of the latter and theint'ermediate portion ofthe balancing arm through the supporting towerand'the pivot mounting thereon. e I 5 4. A toy helicopter according to claim .3, wherein the resistance is located within the control box with a con? tact lever upon the box making variable contact withis'aid resistance, said control box with its control stick-and contact lever forming a, dual control for-:the

helicopter. v 1 1' 5.' A toyhelicopter'according toclaim3, Whereinpthe pivot mounting for the balancing iarmjincludes. a-ishaft extending transversely through the balancing; arm and rockable means for supportingthe shaft. r"

6; A toy helicopter according toclaim 5,.wherein ,thc rockablemeans includes a ring disposed in a vertical-plane and mounted for rotation upon the tower about .a vertical axis and having a vertically disposed side slot, .a; ;h01rizontal pivot mounting in said :rin'g'forzthe .end".of' ;the shaft with one end ofthe latter projecting-outythrough said side slot to guide the same in pivoting movementin.

V produce angular movement'of the balancing arm."

V for manual operation. 1

7. Ajtoy helicopter according'to claim}; wherein the control box has a sloping top with aslottherein throngh which the control stick projects into accessible position 18. A toy helicopter according'to claim 5, whereinthe lower end of the 'control stick is hollow and has apair o opp s downw d y. pcns ts it an 'en ar s npps closed end in at least one slot, a sto'p of greater diameter thanz f h cw c cable fi nps i'd able fi ti t e en r r pp en e n t, nda p v mountn erme e pr th reo .nlprsr sdl rpn 715 ing for the control stick within the control casing interme a e; pp r; n of s d casing and the cw Slotted :nwm a ta ll lissst r. ic sts susd4 294.net.c ie

the balancing arm and a counterweight upon the other end of said arm, at least one blade rotor upon the helicopter with means for variably driving the rotor, and means connected to the pivot mounting for angularly moving the balancing arm with respect to its axis and thereby tilting the helicopter; said other end of the balancing arm carrying the counterweight being bent laterally toward the pivot mounting to produce a torque on the balancing arm in opposition to said last-mentioned means, and a remote dual control unit for said operating unit including a control casing, a manually operable member mounted movably upon the control casing and effective to cause the means connected to the pivot mounting to angularly move said balancing arm, a second operable member also movably mounted upon said control casing 15 2,779,595

and eifective to vary the drive of the rotor upon said helicopter, and cable means flexibly interconnecting the control casing and the operating unit for enabling the control casing to be variably positioned with respect to the operating unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,866,432 Urban July 5, 1932 2,075,267 Chn'stiansen Mar. 30, 1937 2,423,380 Gerbino et a1. July 1, 1947 2,451,006 West Oct. 12, 1948 2,472,556 West June 7, 1949 2,676,014 Smith Apr. 20, 1954 Ensley Jan. 29, 1957 

